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Monday, 26 September 2016

When we only see our failings {He makes all things new}

As I sit at my laptop, after a another ridiculously long break from blogging, the words of one of my favourite characters in literature come jumping into my head. Once again, as I try to shake off the guilt of not doing things as I would like to, these words leap out.

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

Anne of Green Gables

I think it's fair to say that every mother has come to the end of a day and had that thought. Our days don't always go swimmingly. Anyone who suggests that staying at home to raise her children is the "easy option" has never done it. Days are HARD. We faces so many challenges and struggles on our journey. We have abundant blessings, but with blessings come hard times, too. I often feel I have failed, or at the very least I've not done a great job. It's a fairly frequent feeling, to be completely honest. But, then. Then, I am faced with a truth that my Dad reminded me of yesterday. The truth of the "new". We read in the Book of the Revelation

"Behold, I make all things new"

As much as this verse may well be singularly talking of the "new" of heaven, undoubtedly our life here on earth - our spiritual life - is all about the "new", too.Our old life - our old "man" - was that of sinfulness, mistakes and erring. Following after our own ways, and stumbling along in darkness. When we found life in Christ, it was a NEW life! Old things were passed away and all things were new. We had a joy, a delight, a pleasure in knowing that we had something new, and wonderful.It's so easy to lose sight of that, though, isn't it?We are still battling the old man - the flesh - and that's WHY our days often end with the "boy, I didn't do so well" mentality. Christ, however, is the author of the "all things new". That same joy we had when "first I saw the Lord", can be ours EVERY DAY.How?Well, because when we run to Christ, confessing our sins, failings and struggles, His mercies come to us NEW. We come to Him, asking for a clean heart, and a right spirit to be given new to us, for a new day. We come, waiting upon Him, to have our strength given to us, new for the challenges of another day. Precious mother - don't look on those things you struggled with yesterday, or last week, or last month - or even just 5 minutes ago! Turn your eyes upwards, and look to the one who can give you that newness to face another day. He has promised us so many mercies to help us on our way - His love, His kindness, His strength, His peace, His faithfulness - so that this day can be conquered.And yes, even if we feel we've messed up again, another day brings new mercies again. Our spirit must be that of humility, grace and determination, in order to fight on and win the victory against the things with which we struggle. We don't need to wait for heaven to have "all things new". It doesn't even need to be a new morning. We can breathe in that spiritual breath of life, and be renewed when we come to God in prayer, seeking His strength and mercy. "Forgetting those things that are behind", we can press on. Will you join me in looking to a life of a renewed spirit, and remembering that God's mercies are new every morning?